The 2026 Diaspora Day themed “Harnessing Global Diaspora Medical Expertise to Strengthen Local Health Systems for National Development,” will bring Nigerian health professionals in the Diaspora to communities nationwide for targeted medical interventions.

The programme, under the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative 2026 (DHII 2026), is organised in collaboration with the Nigeria Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, the Nigeria Medical Association.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, highlighted that DHII 2026 is aimed at leveraging the expertise and global experience of Nigerian medical professionals abroad to strengthen local health systems, expand access to specialist care, and mentor health workers in underserved communities.

She said the programme provides a structured national framework aligned with the National Diaspora Policy and Federal and State health priorities.

Seven major diaspora medical associations have been assigned to specific states for the outreach:

  • Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA – USA) – Imo, Abia, Enugu

  • Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists (CANPAD – Canada) – FCT, Abuja

  • Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain (MANSAG – UK) – Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto

  • Concerned Medics Foundation – Borno

  • Nigerian Medical Association Germany – FCT and Nasarawa (Keffi)

  • Nigerian-Australian Medical and Dental Association (NAMDA) – Bayelsa, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Rivers

  • Nigerian Doctors Forum South Africa (NDF-SA) – Lagos

The outreach will provide specialist clinical services, maternal and neonatal health, sickle cell screening, women’s health, interventional radiology, neurosurgery, echocardiography, point-of-care ultrasound, medical leadership training, and health systems strengthening, with emphasis on sustainable capacity building and hands-on mentorship.

The initiative will be officially flagged off in Abuja at the start of Diaspora Week 2026, after which teams will deploy to their assigned states.

Participating associations are expected to reconvene in Abuja on 24 July ahead of the national Diaspora Day on 25–26 July to submit impact reports that will inform policy dialogue and programme scaling.

Dabiri-Erewa expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support of diaspora engagement, as well as to the Ministers of Health, Education, state governments, professional bodies, development partners, the private sector and media.

She also commended Arco Petrochemical and Marine Engineering Company for supporting youth participation in Diaspora Day events.

Representatives of the participating diaspora associations, including ANPA–USA, CANPAD–Canada, MANSAG–UK, Concerned Medics Foundation, NMA Germany, NAMDA Australia, and NDF-SA, thanked NiDCOM and the Ministry of Health for the initiative and called for its sustainability.

Pre-event online sessions have already commenced, covering women’s health, interventional radiology, neurosurgery, and echocardiography.